Various covers with projecting restrainers, to include snow stops, are known. Note, for example, the following U.S. patents:
H. Esselen, U.S. Pat. No. 511,295 (Dec. 19, 1893), Snow Guard.
E. Clark, Des. U.S. Pat. No. 30,788 (May 16, 1899), Snow Guard for Roofs.
E. Clark, U.S. Pat. No. 625,144 (May 16, 1899), Snow Guard.
E. Clark, U.S. Pat. No. 654,438 (Jul. 24, 1900), Snow Guard for Roofs.
S. Clark, U.S. Pat. No. 702,923 (Jun. 24, 1902), Roof Guard.
E. Histand, U.S. Pat. No. 1,222,953 (Apr. 17, 1917), Snow Guard.
A. Campbell, U.S. Pat. No. 1,475,931 (Dec. 4, 1923), Snow Guard.
A. Campbell, U.S. Pat. No. 1,530,233 (Mar. 17, 1925), Snow Guard.
C. Douglas, U.S. Pat. No. 1,647,345 (Nov. 1, 1927), Sheet Metal Snow Guard.
J. Zaleski, U.S. Pat. No. 3,296,750 (Jan. 10, 1967), Roof Snow Guard.
J. Winski, U.S. Pat. No. 3,583,113 (Jun. 8, 1971), Sheet Construction Material with Baffelike Members at Joints.
J. McMullen, U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,182 (Feb. 27, 1979), Corrosion Proof Snow Guard.
A snow guard asserted as being covered by the McMullen patent is offered for sale by Snowjax, Inc. See e.g., SNOJAX advertisement, Metal Construction News (circa January, 1993).
In addition, the M. J. Mullane Co., Hudson, Mass., markets a number of Snow Guard devices. Note, Buyline Cast in Bronze Snow Guards trade literature (Oct. 1, 1993) Models #10, #10-LC and #20.
A problem in the art is that of failure of some known snow stops, to particularly include from among those which projecting restrainer is composed of or is supported by sheet metal. This failure can occur for various reasons, to include not only that snow stops are sometimes installed in an amount insufficient to accommodate the weight of snow for a given roof area but also that the snow stops may be inherently too weak to withstand a certain threshold force applied to its projecting restrainer.
Another problem occasionally encountered in the art is that of bowing, caused in use of an elongated base, for example, one about 16 inches or so of bar stock, such as of brass or other metal, which is positioned below a full slate and fastened on the end distal to the snow catcher. Often, the fastened brass base bows and causes breaking of the slate under which it lies, particularly under the stress of accumulated snow.
It would be desirable to ameliorate or overcome such problems in the art. As well, it would be desirable to provide a new snow stop to the art, and ameliorate or overcome other problems in it.